1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to computer networks. More particularly, this invention provides for a system and method for searching and compiling from a database, such as the Worldwide Internet, images that have a specified visual content, and for determining if any of the compiled images are substantially similar to one or more known images.
2. Description of the Background Art
In its embryonic stage the Worldwide Internet provided a research-oriented environment where users and hosts were interested in a free and open exchange of information, and where users and hosts mutually trusted one another. However, the Internet has grown dramatically, currently interconnecting over 100,000 computer networks and several million users. Because of its size and openness, the Internet has become a target of trademark and service mark infringement or misuse. Virtually every trademark or service mark is available for unauthorized use on the Internet. Before connecting, companies balance the rewards of an Internet connection against risks of infringement of trademarks and servicemarks.
An entity's brands, trademarks, or servicemarks may be its most valuable asset. This is especially true with global intellectual property such as brands, trademarks, or servicemarks where integrity of the brand, trademark or servicemark is vital in new markets. Unfortunately, piracy of such intellectual property in many of these markets already costs leading corporations billions of dollars in lost sales annually, including new forms of piracy on the Worldwide Internet. Brand images (or look-alike marks) can be surreptitiously posted on web pages for selling fraudulent or unauthorized goods to a global market. If the presence of any brand, trademark or servicemark on the Internet becomes compromised, the result can be dilution of such any brand, trademark or servicemark, and ultimate loss of market share.
In the Worldwide Internet the number of web sites and the number of images increases daily by millions. Right now, there are expected to be more than 500 million images in the Internet. While searching for regular text in the Internet is known (e.g., commercial text search engines like Yahoo, Altavista, Lycos, etc.), searching solely for images is much more difficult. Presently, searching for images in the Internet is possible only by looking at an image name, e.g., “Clinton.gif,” or by looking at the text grouped around an image in a website (e.g., commercial sites like “richmedia.lycos.com,” Altavista image finder, etc.). It is believed that there is presently no feasible system to efficiently search for images in the Internet by specifying their visual content, because no computer system or computer method is presently available to detect the specified visual content of an image from all of the millions of images provided in the Internet.
Therefore, what is needed and what has been invented is a system and method for searching and compiling from a database, such as the Worldwide Internet, images that have a specified visual content, and for determining if any of the compiled images are substantially similar to one or more known images. What has been more specifically invented is a high-precision, automated visual detection service to protect global trademarks, servicemarks, and brands from infringement, dilution, or tarnishment by look-alike or imposter marks and brands on the Internet. The visual detection technology provided by the present invention finds a brand, trademark, or servicemark on Internet web pages, and also finds designs, symbols, shapes, and signs that closely resemble the brand, trademark or servicemark. The present invention also identifies logos within a larger picture and text within images.